TER
TER are regional trains serving every major cities and small towns in France.
- Book up to 120 days in advance
- E-ticket
- Regional trains
Overview
TER
Regional trains are known as TER in France, although they are also referred to as local trains. Each region of France operates its own fleet of TER, which stands for Transport Express Régional in French. All trains are operated by the SNCF, the French railway company. TER are modern and comfortable trains, making it the most authentic way to travel from city to city without the need to rush.
Practical information
Paper ticket
Receive your ticket directly to your address. Just take them with you and you are ready to travel. Shipping fees apply.
Print @ home
Print your ticket anywhere and anytime before your travel. Skip shipping fees.
- TER tickets are open for booking 120 days ahead.
- Get the lowest prices by booking early and don’t wait until the last minute as cheaper seats sell the fastest.
- Opt for off-peak trains when you have to travel short notice. They are more affordable than morning and evening trains along with those running on holiday eves, Friday and Sunday afternoon.
A class apart
Classes of service
| First class | Second class | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable seats Spacious seats with a headrest and generous legroom. small> | ||
| Ergonomic seats Cosy with more legroom, ergonomic seats are ideal to enjoy the trip. small> |
Travel forum
From our travel community
0 5
Read all
Reviews & ratings TER
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Value for moneyConvenienceEasy arrangements | Margaret k. | 2017/01/14

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French regional train | . | 2017/01/11

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Straightforward trip | . | 2017/01/11

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Value for moneyConvenienceA short but memorable trip | Kenneth g. | 2016/12/31

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Value for moneyConvenienceTransfer | Desmond g. | 2016/12/14

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Value for moneyConvenienceTrain | Michael t. | 2016/11/28

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Value for moneyConvenienceRail | Michael t. | 2016/11/20

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Value for moneyConvenienceNarbonne to Carcassonne | Jane r. | 2016/11/03

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Value for moneyConvenienceBrugge - Kortruk Train. | Janis w. | 2016/11/02

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Value for moneyConvenienceVery useful | Paul j. | 2016/10/28

FAQ's
Common Questions, Simple Answers
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Q. In the event of a strike, is my rail pass covered under the Rail Protection Plan™?
A. In general no – the Rail Protection Plan™ doesn’t provide specific coverage for rail passes, city passes, or tours in the event a strike occurs during your travels.
During a strike, there are usually trains that operate along all routes, as well as substitute buses. While you may not be able to take the exact train you were planning on using, there are usually trains or some other method of transportation that can get you to where you need to go.
In case a severe strike occurs that significantly prevents you from using your pass as intended, you may contact our customer relations team. We will review your particular circumstances and may provide compensation, if appropriate.
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Q. What happens if I don’t fill out my rail pass before boarding the train?
A. Those who travel with a rail pass in which the travel date is not filled in the travel calendar box risk payment of a full fare ticket and a fine.
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Q. My print at station e-ticket was lost or stolen after I printed it. Can I print it again?
A. Unfortunately, print at station e-tickets may only be printed once from the kiosk. In the event of a lost ticket, go to a ticket counter and ask if they can reprint it. If they are unable to, a new train ticket will have to be purchased.
If you purchased the Rail Protection Plan™, you may be eligible for compensation.
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Q. Can I choose whether my tickets or rail passes are delivered as paper documents or electronically?
A. All available delivery options for how your train tickets, rail passes, and/or reservations can be issued will be presented to you during checkout.
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Q. I just landed in Europe. How do I get to the train station from the airport?
A. Whether you’re going straight to a train or to your hotel, you’ll generally find public transportation options from the airport to the center of town, where most train stations are located. Below is a list of airports that have rail connections (train or local subway/metro) to the main rail station:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
15 minute train trip to Amsterdam Central Station
Stockholm Arlanda Airport
20 minute train trip to Stockholm Central Station
Barcelona Airport
30 minute train to Barcelona Sants Station
Berlin Schoenefeld Airport
Birmingham International Airport
12-15 minute train trip to Birmingham New Street Station
Brussels Airport
28 minute train trip to Brussels Zuid/Midi Station
Cologne Airport
15 minute train trip to Cologne Central Station
Copenhagen Kastrup Airport
14 minute train trip from Copenhagen Airport to Copenhagen Central Station
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
7 minute train trip to the Geneva City Central Station
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
1 mile bus or taxi trip to Paisley Gilmour Station and then a 12-15 minute train trip to Glasgow
London Gatwick Airport
30 minute train trip to London Victoria Station
London Heathrow Airport
15 - 27 minute train trip to London Paddington Station
Luton Airport
45 minute train trip to London St. Pancras Station
Madrid-Barajas Airport
12 minute metro trip to Madrid Nuesvos Ministerios Metro Station
Malaga Airport
10 minute train trip to Malaga Torremolinos Station
Munich International Airport
41 - 46 minute train trip to Munich Main Train Station
Oslo Gardermoen Airport
19 - 22 minutes train trip to Oslo S Station
Paris Orly Airport
24 minutes train trip to Paris Austerlitz Station
Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport
30 minute train trip to Paris Gare du Nord Station
Porto – Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport
7-10 minute metro trip to Porto City Center Station
Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport
30 minute train trip to Rome Termini Station
Stansted Airport
47 minute train trip to London Liverpool Station
Stuttgart Echterdingen Airport
30 minute train trip to Stuttgart Central
Zurich Airport
10 - 14 minute train trip to Zurich Central StationMany other European airports have buses to the central or main rail stations. There are typically a minimum of two departures per hour, and travel times can vary from 15 minutes – 55 minutes depending on the city (and of course traffic en-route to the city center).
You can always check directly with your arrival airport for specific information regarding transfers to the city center. Most airports have websites with information on where to go to find a train or bus connection to the downtown area.
In addition, we encourage you to visit our Train Station pages to view information about services at the station and what airport links are available, if any, for a particular city.
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Q. Can I exchange or refund my rail pass while in Europe?
A. Unused and unvalidated rail passes can be exchanged for an alternate rail pass of equal or greater value. A 7% administration fee, any price difference, and additional shipping fees would apply. Some promotional rail passes are non-exchangeable; please read the terms and conditions for these passes for more details. Exchanges and refunds for rail passes cannot be performed locally at the train station.
Please send us a message through the Contact Us page to begin the exchange process. To exchange a rail pass, we must receive your original unused and unvalidated rail pass no later than 3 days prior to your departure to Europe, issue a new rail pass, and ship it to you.
If you bought the Rail Protection Plan™ when you placed your rail pass order, you are eligible to receive the full value of your original pass as a credit and use it towards any future Rail Europe purchase within 2 years, with no fee or penalty incurred.
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Q. How do I use a promo code?
A. Simply enter your valid promo code on the page where you enter your delivery information for your booking during checkout.
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Q. My promo code is not working. What should I do?
A. If for any reason you experience an issue with your promo code, please verify that all criteria are met for the code to be valid (dates, booking minimum, products, etc.). If all of this seems correct, make sure you’re using the correct code. If you received your code in an email, sometimes it’s best to copy and paste the code to avoid typographical errors.
If you continue to have trouble, get in touch with us using our Contact Us page.
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Q. Can I get the address and phone number for the train station?
A. We offer specific train station information and maps with approximate locations of many of the most popular train stations in Europe.
In general, you’ll find that stations are centrally located and conveniently reached via public transportation and most airport-to-city links.
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Q. What happens if I board a train with my rail pass but forgot to purchase a reservation?
A. We suggest advising the conductor as soon as possible of the situation and purchase the required reservation. If you’re traveling on a train that requires a reservation you could be fined.


